The present invention is directed to a connector element for a plurality of light waveguides. The connector element includes two carrier members arranged in alignment. Each member has a plurality of V-shaped centering grooves extending parallel to each other for the acceptance of light waveguides and guide channels on both sides of the centering grooves in which appropriately adapted guide rails are received to extend between the two carrier members. Each of the carrier members has a cover plate for covering the light waveguides in the V-shaped grooves with an immersion fluid being introduced and an adhesive material being provided for securing the optical fibers, cover plate and carrier members together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,341, whose disclosure is incorporated by reference and which claims priority from two German applications, including German Application No. 34 08 783, discloses a connector element of the above-described type. In the connector element of the patent, stripped optical fibers are pressed into V-shaped centering grooves of a respective carrier member and are constrained in these grooves. After the insertion of the light waveguides, the cover plate is glued to the carrier member by an adhesive material which is introduced in the region of the light waveguides, for example, from the end face. As a consequence of the capillary action of the centering grooves and due to the narrow gap between the cover plate and carrier member, the adhesive material penetrates into the existing cavities and, thus, joins the carrier member, cover plate and optical fibers to one another. The capillary action, however, can only be utilized when the adhesive material has a low viscosity. As shown in FIG. 1 of the present application, the adhesive material KM is distributed over the surface of the carrier member TK1, which is covered by the cover plate AP1 so that when applied the adhesive material KM penetrates into the guide channels FN1 and FN2, which lie on both sides of the centering grooves ZR1-ZRn. When this adhesive KM hardens, it will impede the insertion of guide rails, such as FS1 and FS2, as shown in FIG. 2.
In addition, the liquid immersion material can also cause problems. For example, the immersion material is applied to the end face of the carrier member TK1 before joining with the second carrier member. The immersion material or fluid is, thus, distributed at the end face of the carrier member TK1 and can flow into the guide channels FN1 or, respectively, FN2 and, subsequently, press or force the guide rails FS1 or FS2 out of their defined and specific seating. The two carrier members to be joined and equipped with optical fibers LWF1-LWFn will then no longer lie in exact alignment with one another and, thus, a higher attenuation will exist.